For some periods of its long history Venice was the most alive and artistically innovative city in Italy. Around the turn of the seventeenth century it was more – the veritable music capital of Europe. Musicians from north and west Europe stayed there to learn from the composers, instrumentalists and singers who had either been born in Venice, or had themselves gravitated to the Republic's glorious and inspiring cultural (and physical) environment. Only Dario Castello (fl. 1600-1630) of those composers presented here falls into the first category.

Allegedly Eric Dolphy's final recorded performance – a fact historians roundly dispute – this session in Hilversum, Holland, teams the masterful bass clarinetist, flutist, and alto saxophonist with a Dutch trio of performers who understand the ways in which their hero and leader modified music in such a unique, passionate, and purposeful way far from convention. In pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Jacques Schols, and drummer Han Bennink, Dolphy was firmly entwined with a group who understood his off-kilter, pretzel logic concept in shaping melodies and harmonies that were prime extensions of Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Cecil Taylor. These three Dolphy originals, one from Monk, one from Mengelberg, and a standard are played so convincingly and with the utmost courage that they created a final stand in the development of how the woodwindist conceived of jazz like no one else before, during, or after his life.

Essential: a masterpiece of Folk musicLe Disque D’Or is a early compilation of Alan Stivell’s first 3 LPs: “Reflets”, “Renaissance De La Harpe Celtique” and “Chemins De Terre”. Also included are 2 unpublished singles in an official LP.

Essential: a masterpiece of Folk musicAt the time of buying this LP, I thought I was going to find a Stivell immersed in the Prog-Folk music… my surprise was great after listening to it completely: Totally unplugged, no instrument with electric cables. Today is one of my favorite records of this legendary harpist. And I think he took the risk to go back to his Breton roots and immerse us in the Breton-Folk music.

Essential: A masterpiece of Progressive-Rock musicHands down, this record which is actually buried in oblivion, features about 30 minutes of pure magic – electric folk of its finest kind and not a bit less majestic and unique as the critically acclaimed work of Steeleye Span and others. And the remaining 10 minutes are absolutely good, too!I got this album when I didn’t have a clue what Celtic folk was actually about. You cannot imagine how amazed I was when I dug that one out after having falling in love with all the electric folk stuff from the UK. And it’s today I found out that Dan Ar Bras (later of Fairport Convention) and the Yacoub siblings (of Malicorne) contributed to that album as well.

Essential: a masterpiece of Prog Rock musicThis review is based on the LP version of this album (the CD version if you can find it, apparently has additional songs). The first seven tracks formed side one, and are accoustic: Alan playing the harp and singing, with some additional accompaniment, all of of haunting and beautiful.

Essential: a masterpiece of Prog Rock musicFor all intents and purposes, this was Stivell’s debut, and an impressive and mature debut at that. From the opening notes of the title cut, the openness and greenery of the rich Breton countryside is mainlined for the listener. One does not need to have set foot in Brittany to visualize that which Stivell paints so vividly. Most tracks are sung in French but are no less authentic for it.